In the 21st century, casinos are generally referred to as gambling clubs where people play games for money. Players are known as house or banker and the rules of the game are the same everywhere in the world. Almost every country in Europe legalised casinos in the late twentieth century. The United Kingdom has operated licensed gambling clubs since 1960, including a few in London. These clubs require membership and can be accessed only by paying a membership fee. France legalized casinos in 1933 and has some of the most famous European casinos.
A casino’s security begins on the casino floor, where employees keep an eye on patrons and games. Dealers, for example, are focused on their games, and can easily spot when someone is cheating. Pit bosses and table managers also keep an eye on the table and can detect patterns in betting and cheating. There is also a higher-up person on every employee, which makes it easier to identify suspicious behavior. In addition, the casino uses computer chips to determine the payouts for slot machines, making it impossible for anyone to cheat.
Because casinos make a significant amount of profit from high-stakes gamblers, they focus a considerable portion of their resources on the casino’s high rollers. These high-rollers spend significantly more than the average gambler, and they typically play in special rooms, separate from the main casino floor. Moreover, their stakes are typically in the tens of thousands of dollars. Casinos make a lot of money from high-stakes gamblers, and often provide them with extravagant inducements like free drinks and free cigarettes.
